The Eighth Deadly Sin
by VermilionApoplechtic
Summary: Sera is just a normal girl living a normal apple-pie life in a small town. That is, until that town is ransacked by a large thug looking for her. Why? No one has any idea, including Sera.
1. The Orchard

I stood on one side of the vast emerald orchard, staring across it with the utmost of admiration. It was so magnificent, so undisturbed by the likes of humanity. The pleasant sensations I experienced while out here were enough to expel any unwanted stresses or negative thoughts from my mind. The sheer beauty of this field was enough to take my breath away. The rolling plain stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with trees and filled with grass and flowers of every color and variety. The only thing that could ever make this place even more stellar was the approach of dusk when the sun was setting; it would always look like an artist dipped his brush in an array of bright hues and used them to paint the sky.

I spent a lot of my free time out here, whether I was plucking the ripened fruits of the trees from their branches to take home, or just laying out under the stars on a clear night to admire their radiance. This had been my safe haven, my place of retreat, ever since I was a little girl.

On this particular sunny day, I was in the orchard to bring home a basket of apples for my mother to bake into pies. She owned the town bakery, and ever since my father had died three years ago, it was my responsibility to help her oversee it, which meant I was in charge of the cleaning tasks and gathering ingredients. People would come from far and wide to eat mother's world famous baked goods. Our little town of Weylyn was notorious for its Scrimya Apples; they only grew on the outskirts of the city where the orchard was located during the peak of the summer, so they were a delicacy that could only be enjoyed once a year. It was during this time that mother would bake enough homemade Scrimya Apple pies to feed a village and then some. When she was baking them, the fragrant aroma of the apples and cinnamon would waft up and out of the chimney of the bakery and diffuse throughout the entire town. It was a smell that lingered for the duration of the year, earning us the nickname "The Cinnamon City".

As was filling up my basket with these succulent crops, I couldn't help but marvel at the natural palette of colors that appeared on each of their skins. Every apple was unique in its own way. There was a multitude of combinations and shades of red, yellow, and green. They reminded me of how the leaves changed colors in the autumn before falling from the trees. It was astounding to me that all the beauty and perfection of a season could reside in a single fruit.

I remember that day, very distinctly in my mind. I was looking at the apples, picking them from the trees one by one. As I did so, I took a few brief seconds to make notes about them individually, like how shiny they were, the color ratios, and their size. Consumed by their beauty, I could no longer resist; I plucked one from a tree and sunk my teeth into it. As the flavor blanketed my taste buds, I came to the conclusion that it was the juiciest, most heavenly food I had ever eaten. It was tart, yet sweet, and it had the perfect consistency. The more I chewed, the more I realized there was also the faintest hint of…

"Yuck!" I spat out the apple and threw it on the ground.

But it was just so perfect. What could have ruined such an enchanting fruit? What putrid, pungent odor could have…

Then it hit me. What I was smelling was...

"Smoke?"


	2. Smoke?

"Where could the smoke be coming from?" I inquired aloud, afraid of the answer I sought. I quickly turned around only to witness a loud explosion coming from Weylyn. I saw debris fly everywhere. "No!" I screamed, as I absentmindedly dropped my apple basket and began to sprint back home.

As I did so, the wind whipped through my hair and a million questions ran rampant in my mind, the most prevalent being 'What the hell is going on?'. My legs were burning from running so quickly, and I could feel hot, stinging tears streaming down my face. I was enraged. Who could possibly do something so awful? Why were they doing this? Were they purposely trying to hurt people? Would they hurt my mom? The thought was so unbearable, I pushed myself and ran as fast as was physically possible.

When I made it back to town, I stared at it for a moment, and subsequently fell to my knees. Part of that was from running at a pace which overpowered my body's physical competence. I looked up in horror and agony, still crying. I collapsed into a groveling heap as my home, my life, my everything, was burning to the ground while I watched, powerless to help. I let out a scream of terror, not knowing what else I could do at the time. All the people I grew up with, all of my friends, my neighbors, my schoolmates…could all be dead for all I knew. A desperation of intense proportions clouded my mind with a darkness I had never experienced. The thought of losing everyone and everything that I loved rendered me helpless, incapacitated, unable to stand. I felt hollow and numb, like an empty shell filled only with the encroaching blackness.

I stared at the ground, unblinking, unfeeling. What if this was somehow my fault? Would things have been different if I had been here when this happened? Could I have done something to help?

It wasn't until a few minutes later that I was able to snap out of my (for lack of a better phrase) hypnotic state. "Mom!" I cried, mustering every bit of remaining strength that I had to rise from the ground. Even if I came up empty handed, I at least had to attempt to search for her. I owed her that much. "Mom? Where are you?" I frantically called out to her, which was to little avail over the roar of the monumental flames. The streets of the town were narrow, and while trying to avoid the flames, I was scalded by a couple of them that erupted outward from the burning buildings.

I ran past the town hall and the bake shop, hoping she'd be somewhere in the vicinity. I turned a corner, and there, I froze. There was a hulking man in a suit of armor holding my mother by her neck in what was left of my home.

"Now I'm only going to ask you one more time, where is the little bitch?!" Shouted the man.

Mom's face writhed in pain, and it sounded like she was barely breathing. She uttered in a faint voice, "I…I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Don't stand here and lie to my face! I know you know _exactly_ who she is! Where is she? Tell me right now dammit! Or so help me," the man trailed off, letting out a low, rumbling growl as he did so.

"Even if I did know who or where she was, I would never tell you, you barbaric ape. You and the rest of the Holy Knights are nothing but a bunch of bullies, smashing and killing as is fit for your own selfish purposes. Even if you kill me right, now, at least I can die with the dignity of knowing I did nothing to help your wretched kind." Mom said in broken whispers and gasps.

A wicked smirk crossed the man's large face. He began laughing manically, as if she had just told him the world's most comical joke. "Dignity? Old lady, you think there is such a thing as dignity in death?" He pulled her face so close to his that I saw her hair flit back every time he exhaled. He snarled "You are as brave as you are feeble to speak to me in such a manner." He took her away from his face as she was before, and proceeded to shout "How's _this_ for dignity, you worthless hag?!"

I heard the most bloodcurdling snapping sound that had ever pierced my eardrums. I cringed at the sound and closed my eyes, but not soon enough to miss the crimson avalanche that poured out of her. I was hoping more than anything that at that moment, I was hallucinating and that this was some sort of nightmare that I would awaken from soon. But as luck would have it, this wasn't the case.

I witnessed my mother's limp, lifeless corpse fall to the ground. I could feel my heart shatter into infinitesimal pieces. I was finally incapable of holding it in any longer.

"No! Mom! MOM!" I cried out to her, even though I knew it was too late. I could taste a small amount of blood coming from my throat as I screamed for her. I again fell to my knees and laid my hands at my sides in defeat. It was then that the man turned his head.

"It's you! I knew I would find you here!" He yelled.

"Why did you kill my mother…she never did anything to you," I said, almost incoherent from the shock. I couldn't even look at the man. All I could do was stare at the ground; whether this was because the man had just murdered my mother in cold blood or because I didn't even have the strength to hold my head up, I will never know.

"She was standing in the way!"

"In the way of what?" I cried, exasperated.

"In the way of me killing you!" With his sword drawn, he leapt an impressive distance to where I was. I looked up, just in time to see him swing his sword as he approached me.

A cascade of blood was expelled from my mouth. Grasping my stomach, I toppled over onto the cobblestone. Laying on my side, I glanced down just enough to see the crimson seeping into my shirt. I could feel the deep gash burning as it was exposed to the air. I felt weak and nauseous as I looked at the pool of blood forming around me.

The man walked over to me and stood over my limp body. He rolled me over on my back with one hand. He gazed into my eyes, grinning, tears forming in his own. He had a look on his face that only a madman was capable of possessing. "I have waited for this day for so long. You don't even understand. I have won. I have finally killed you."

His words instilled fear into my heart. Was this really it? Was this how I was supposed to die? By the sword of a man whose name I didn't know and for reasons I also didn't know?

I though that all hope was lost. I was convinced that these would be my final moments.

But my suspicions were proven wrong.

As if out of thin air, another voice began to speak.

"Chastiefol, fifth configuration: Increase!"


	3. Deathbed

I saw the man before me look straight ahead, eyes wide with intense fear. "Impossible! How did you find us?!" he exclaimed.

"Well, other than the fact that I was able to sense your immense magic from precisely 10.7 miles away, the boisterous explosions and thick rolling smoke made it fairly obvious that a situation had arisen," said a neutral, emotionless voice.

"Well played, goat sin," said the man through narrowed eyes. Goat sin? What the hell?

"Now, hand over the girl and I won't slice through you until you're nothing but a bloody heap of flesh," said the first voice that had spoken. It was hard to believe that this was a threat; his voice was so sweet and tranquil.

"You're too late Seven Deadly Sins! She's dead! I killed her! I won!" The man began to laugh hysterically. I was starting to suspect that he really was a maniac. I was admittedly curious, however: why was his only true intention to kill _me_?

"No. Her heart is still beating. At 35 beats per minute, but still beating nonetheless. She has suffered a loss of approximately 1.5 liters of blood, but the damage is not irreparable. With proper rest and first aid, her heart rate will return to normal and her wounds will heal." Assessed the emotionless voice. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but under the circumstances, I would say that based on your intention, you lose."

"I am the Holy Night Sebastian! I never lose! Never! Never!" He wailed like a spoiled child. This was one of the king's men? "And I don't intend to start today!" He looked into my eyes once again with that crazed expression settling upon his face.

As if attempting to be heard by the heavens, he exclaimed "Magical ability: Phantom Edge!" Suddenly, as he lifted his sword with both arms above his head, it elongated and turned a deep, ominous shade of violet. "This is it for you, you wretched girl!"

I looked into the eyes of my soon-to-be murderer. I knew this was the end. I could sense that my current thoughts would be my last. The speed with which his blade was approaching me would undoubtedly lead to my demise. My only true regret in my short life was that I had been incapable of saving my mother from this same fate, by this same man. Whether it was a fear reflex or a profound sadness that made the tears slither down my pallid cheeks, I was unsure. All I knew was that I was staring into the face of death. My eyelashes grew heavy, and my thoughts drifted to focusing on my final breaths as I managed to choke out "Goodbye," along with a spurt of blood.

"Full counter!"

Even through closed eyes, I could tell that the magnitude of the blast that followed these words was tremendous, as was the sound.

"Huh?" I whispered softly. I opened my eyes once again, only to see Sebastian flying through the air like a weightless projectile. I lay there for a second trying to make sense of what had just occurred. "But…I don't…"

A finger was pressed to my lips. "Shh, don't strain yourself. Everything is going to be alright. I promise," said a soothing voice. The blonde, muscular man rose from his knee and looked at a group who, at the time, was out of my range of vision. "Ban, carry her back to the tavern. Merlin is waiting. King, go with him. Diane, Gowther and I will take care of Sebastian." I wasn't sure who he was, but he sounded very authoritative.

I heard a grunt of compliance. Before I could figure out was happening, I was being lifted by the arms a man with silvery-blue hair who couldn't have been less than seven feet tall. He wore a pair of studded, crimson leather pants with a matching jacket, but no undershirt. Even though I had lost close to 30% of my body's total volume of blood, I could feel myself blushing as I rubbed against his rock hard abdominal muscles. He must have noticed too, because a cocky, yet seductive grin crossed his face. "I must be pretty hot for you to be blushing when you have no blood left to spare." I let out a pathetic excuse for a giggle and tried my best to smile with my colorless lips. Was he flirting with me on my death bed?

"Dammit Ban. Maybe _you_ should have been cursed with the goat sin of lust. The girl is in critical condition; can't you lay off?" I assumed the voice belonged to the one the blonde man had referred to as 'King'. At least now I could associate it with a name. He was the one that had threatened Sebastian with…I believe he used the phrase 'a thousand tiny daggers'? I had also learned that my method of transportation for the time being was named Ban.

These were such odd names. King? Ban? Who were these guys? Why were they here to save _me_? What made me so special? And why did they keep talking about sins?

"Don't get your panties in a twist, King. I was only trying to make her smile," said Ban. I was beginning to assume he spoke in a permanently arrogant manner. "It worked, didn't it?"

"I think the poor girl has been through enough torture for one day," said King. At the time, he was still a shadow talking in the wind. I longed to see his face.

"Get out of here! Now! Both of you!" yelled the blonde man.

"You got it, captain," replied Ban as he turned to face the opposite direction, which I presumed was the direction which would lead to the tavern.

As my head dangled over his arm, I managed to catch a glimpse of a terrifying sight that my heart hadn't quite prepared itself for.

"A…giant!" I squeaked.

I suppose you could say that out of everything I'd been through in such a short amount of time, that instance was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Hey, are you o..."

I didn't stay conscious long enough to hear Ban finish his sentence.


	4. Awakening

I'm not sure how long it took for me to regain consciousness, but when I finally did, I was still in a daze. The world around me was blurry, and I first I couldn't make out anything. I remember being sprawled out on an unfamiliar bed trying to internally investigate where I could have been (I remembered something about a tavern, but I couldn't tell if this was it). I took this period to focus on steadying my breathing. Although I had blacked out from the copious amount of blood that I had lost, I felt surprisingly well rested. My body ached slightly, but it was nothing compared to what I had endured before.

When my vision came back into focus and my heartbeat settled into its normal rhythm, I still had double vision, but at least now I had some depth perception, which allowed me to distinctly see faces. There were several people hovering over the foot of the bed, but I was only able to identify a couple of them. There was a woman with dark hair (wearing minimal clothing might I add), a younger girl with gray hair, the blonde man, and a man with pink hair and glasses. It was a bit intimidating having a bunch of strangers staring you down while you slept and looked as shitty as I probably did.

"Good, you're awake," said the blonde man with a smile. "Glad to see it. You were pretty messed up out there."

"How long was I out?"

"Only about a day." Damn, an entire day! "Are you feeling better?"

"Y…yeah. I think I'm alright now."

"Hmm, well you can never be too careful. Maybe I should take a look." With these words, he began to walk toward me until he was standing about four inches away. I could feel my full body flushing. There was a sudden, pulsating pressure in my right breast.

"What are you doing?" I asked, feeling embarrassed and slightly violated. I looked down to see him squeezing me tenderly and repeatedly.

"Yep, your heartbeat is good!" he said, with a satisfied grin.

"Sir Meliodas!" exclaimed the gray haired girl.

"Honestly, Meliodas! Could you be any more of a pervert? Keep your hands off of her!" said a very shrill voice. "By the way, the heart is on the _left_ side!" I scanned the room, but couldn't find the person the voice belonged to.

"Who said that?" I inquired.

"Down here!" It squawked. I looked to the floor only to see a large, talking pig by my bedside.

"Wonderful, now I'm hallucinating."

"No, he's there," said Meliodas.

"I am Sir Hawk, King of the Order of Scraps Disposal, at your service!"

"Well aren't you just adorable? Never have I met such a noble pig. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Hawk!" I beamed. I reached my hand down to affectionately pet the top of his cute little piggy head. What could I say? I loved animals of all shapes and sizes! The talking aspect of it was purely bonus!

"I like her already!" squealed Hawk, affectionately kicking his back leg.

"It appears that she is stable. She requires nourishment so that her body may heal properly," said the man with the pink hair. I was still a bit timid and shy; it was hard to strike up a conversation with people whose names you didn't know.

"Where are our manners guys? This poor girl is probably terrified, waking up in a room full of strangers like this! I'm Meliodas," he said, with a hint of cockiness in his voice, as if he had just read my mind.

"I am Gowther," said pink hair. Gowther. That was the name of the man who, when we were still in Weylyn, had impressively assessed my condition without being even relatively close to me.

"Merlin," said the dark haired woman with an alluring grin. Although I was a heterosexual female, I had to admit that this woman was sexy beyond anything I had ever seen. Her figure was flawless, and most of it was exposed, for she only wore a cloak of sorts, skin tight thigh-high boots, and a speedo-looking pair of bottoms. Her voice matched her body in terms of being seductive.

"Elizabeth," said the gray haired girl sweetly. She was beautiful, also with a figure to die for and a very warm and inviting face.

"Nice to meet you all," I said, coyly blushing. "I'm Sera. Thank you all for saving me. Not to be rude, but if I recall correctly before blacking out, there were more of you."

"Oh there are more of us. Ban is downstairs in the kitchen, and King went to scout the area to make sure there weren't anymore Holy Knights. Diane is outside."

"Is she okay? Why isn't she in here with everyone else? Did she get hurt too?" I inquired. Everyone gave me the same puzzled look.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm just fine. I'm just a little to big for the tavern," said a very loud voice that was equally as sweet as Elizabeth's. I cowered as I saw nothing but a giant, smiling, purple eye glance into the window of the room.

"It's the giant!" I whispered fearfully. "Get that monster away!"

"Diane, she's still just recovering from her injuries. Just give her a little time, okay?" said Elizabeth kindly.

"Oh, okay. Sorry!" She said, moving away from the window. I was extremely glad that that _thing_ was gone.

"So Sera, do you have any idea why a Holy Knight would come looking for you?" asked Meliodas in a very concerned tone.

"No, I have no idea. I was out in the orchard on the edge of the village, as I usually am, and I smelled smoke coming from the village. By the time I got there it was already in flames. And then I saw Sebastian and he…" I paused, staring blankly. "He…murdered my mother while I watched…" I looked down and began to cry into my hands. I believed that I was so in shock when the event had occurred, I hadn't felt the full force of it until just now. I had lost my mother forever, the only living member of my family, my rock, and the woman who had invested her entire life in making sure that mine was as fun and happy as it could be. I felt a small, soft pair arms wrap around me.

"That's awful. I'm so sorry that had to happen to you, Sera," said Elizabeth, consoling me and stroking my messy hair.

"I know you're hurt, but I need you to stay with me, okay Sera?" said Meliodas. I wiped my tears, and nodded a bit hesitantly. Elizabeth pulled away and went to stand by the others so that I could be heard. "What exactly did Sebastian say to you? Anything about why he was there?"

I sniffled. "Nothing really. All he said was that he killed my mother because she stood in the way of him finding me. He didn't say why, but he tried everything he could to kill me, as you saw."

"Hmmm," he pondered, rubbing his chin curiously and furrowing his brow. "That's odd. The Holy Knights are corrupt, but usually they don't make it a point to plan the homicide of innocent people. That's not to say they never kill anyone, but normally the civilians they hurt are just casualties of war. The fact that he wanted you specifically has to mean something." My heart started to beat faster. I don't recall _ever_ doing something that would attract the attention of the kingdom.

Meliodas must have seen the worry appear across my face, because his turned soft again and widened into a smile. "Don't worry. We'll figure everything out and keep you safe." He leaned close to me and looked seriously into my eyes. "If there is anything I'm good at, it's keeping my word. I promise Sera, nothing will happen to you while you're with us." I could feel myself blushing again.

"Thank y…. Meliodas? What are you doing?" I could feel my left breast pulsating this time, and looked down to see the same thing happening as last time.

"Just feeling your heart again. It's much better now that I checked the correct side."

"For crying out loud!" screeched Hawk.

"You haven't changed a bit, captain." Said Merlin, playfully rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yes! Sera, Merlin is the one who fixed you up! She really is a fantastic healer." Said Meliodas, smiling radiantly at her. I let out a surprised shriek as he pulled up my shirt. "See? Oh, cute bra!" I saw Hawk collapse to the floor, piggy belly up. I was humiliated, but at the same time astonished. I looked down at my stomach only to see that the gash was healed. I also looked at my arms, observing that the burns from the fires were gone as well. The only thing that remained of my near-death experience was a large bruise right above my naval.

"All in a day's work," she said as if it were no big deal.

Amongst the playfulness, Gowther looked at me and said "He will return soon. You will see him." Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

"Sir Gowther, with all due respect, stop digging around in people's brains! It is very impolite," said Elizabeth sternly.

"I apologize, Sera. I could detect the longing in your eyes, and was only trying to reassure you." I blushed, because even though everyone was clueless, I knew exactly what he was talking about: King. I was still curious to see him, as Gowther had so blatantly pointed out. After all, even though everyone had a part in it, ultimately, he was the one who had saved me by distracting Sebastian. I hadn't even gotten the opportunity to thank him yet.

For a few moments, everyone stared at me silently. I believed they were waiting for me to explain what Gowther was talking about. I was becoming incredibly uncomfortable with the situation.

Just as I was about to explain, with utter embarrassment, what was going on, another familiar voice broke the silence before I had been given the chance.

"Alright kids, soups on!" yelled Ban.

Merlin, Gowther, and Meliodas walked quickly and with purpose out the door of the room and down the stairs.

"They can be so inconsiderate sometimes," sighed Elizabeth, even though she was smiling. She walked over to the side of the bed, and reached her hand out to me. "Here, let me help you up." I smiled back at her. I slowly, but surely, sat up. I gave her my hand, and she began to pull me out of the bed ever so carefully. She was a lot stronger than she appeared, and was able to support some of my weight with ease. She draped my left arm around her shoulder.

Suddenly, a loud, growling sound filled the room. I looked down and grasped my stomach with me free hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm just hungry. It has been a while since my last meal."

"Sir Ban is a great cook. I'm sure his food will give you your strength back," said Elizabeth cheerfully. I couldn't explain it exactly, but there was something about Elizabeth that just made me feel safe. Part of me just instinctually knew that I could trust her.

"Now come on, let's get you downstairs."


	5. Connection

It took a little bit of time and effort, but eventually, Elizabeth was able to guide me down the stairs to join the others for dinner in the tavern. The delicious smell of whatever it was that Ban had prepared floated directly into my nose. My mouth watered, and my stomach continued to growl. When we reached the bottom of the staircase, everyone looked up at us.

"Nice of you two to join us," said Ban, sitting with the others whose plates were full. Shoving a giant bite of meat into his mouth, he pointed at his own plate with his fork. "Stewed rabbit. It's pretty damn good, especially with the carrots. I used a little bit of basil and parsley for seasoning. Come try."

Elizabeth and I hobbled to the table where everyone was sitting. When we found a seat for me, she gently helped me get situated, and then removed my arm from her shoulders, going to take her own seat next to Meliodas. I stared down at the plate in front of me, appreciating its savor. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. I picked up my fork, jammed it in to the rabbit chunk, and bit off a small piece.

I could feel my entire face light up. My taste buds were dancing in my mouth. This was the best food I had ever eaten, and my mother was no lightweight when it came to a good home-cooked meal. Apparently my reaction was entertaining to the the others, who began to snicker at me. I swallowed and looked around the table.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked shyly, shrinking a little as I did so.

"No, it's just funny to watch someone's face when they've never had Ban's cooking before," said Merlin, chuckling.

"Oh, okay," I said, letting out a little giggle myself. I smiled at Ban. "This is delicious. Thank you."

He winked at me and said "My pleasure, sweetheart. I figured you'd need something to get your strength back." I blushed slightly as he called me sweetheart. "Now how about a little kiss for the cook?"

"Seriously? Cut it out bacon brain! You're just as bad as Meliodas!" cried Hawk. I didn't even realize he'd recovered from earlier.

"What, a guy can't joke?" said Ban, rolling his eyes. He looked back at me and smiled again. For the first time, I had noticed his canine teeth were unnaturally sharp. I actually liked the way they looked on him; it sort of complimented his whole bad boy demeanor. "Or maybe I wasn't joking."

I didn't know how to respond to his charm. It was so flattering and adorable, that all I could do was look down at my plate and pretend like I didn't notice.

"Something on your mind?" he asked rhetorically.

"Just how good this rabbit is," I said, laughing nervously.

"The young female finds you to be very attractive. Her heart rate has increased, and her hormone levels are dangerously high," said Gowther matter-of-factly.

"GOWTHER!" exclaimed everyone but Gowther and I. Well dammit.

"If you all don't mind, I'm going to step outside for a moment," I said, rising from the table.

"Do you need me to help you?" asked Elizabeth, as caring as usual.

"No no, I can do it. Thank you, Elizabeth." I slowly stood up, gripping my side as I did so. I refused to look anyone in the eye. Even though the meal was starting to give me some energy, I was still kind of weak, and it took a good bit for me to walk a few feet to the door. I grabbed the door knob, opened the door, and stumbled outside.

There was a cliff about an eighth of a mile from the tavern. Mustering every ounce of stamina, I had left, I walked to the end of it. Using one hand to brace myself against the ground, I sat down carefully, letting my feet dangle over the edge. I stared off into the sunset, trying to gather my thoughts. I was still annoyed that Gowther would say something like that aloud, even if it was true. But there was no changing the past, and I would forgive him for it after I went back to the tavern. I just needed some time to clear my head. I wasn't really angry at him as much as I was at the events of the previous day. Come to think of it, I hadn't really had much alone time to wrap my head around it.

As much as I didn't want to contemplate on it, that didn't prevent the thoughts and images of yesterday from rattling around in my brain. The sound of my mother's neck being crushed rung in my ears with tremendous volume. I started having terrible, vivid flashbacks. The flames. Sebastian. The blood. The pain. It was all coming back t me in one gigantic wave of overwhelming agony. I started to pull on my hair, hoping it would help me snap back to reality, but to no avail. I could feel the tears burning my eyes and face as they rolled down my cheeks. They felt like acid on my skin. The scene replayed in my mind in its entirety, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

 _Back at the_ Tavern

"What the hell, Gowther? You are so insensitive sometimes. Honestly," said Merlin, shaking her head in disgust.

"I think you really made Sera upset," said Meliodas.

"I am sorry everyone. Because I am at fault for this, I will go and apologize to her. I didn't mean her any harm." Gowther began to stand, but as he did, Ban held out his hand to stop him.

"I think it would be better if I went to check on her right now. I'm sure she's okay, but I'll just go and see." He stood from the table, and walked over to the door. He reached for the doorknob, but paused before he turned it. He looked back at the others with fear in his crimson eyes. "She's been through a lot. We should really be easier on her." With those words, he walked out the door.

The others, knowing Ban and his greedy nature, were stunned. They knew that, generally speaking, he only did something for someone else when it benefitted him in some way.

"Does anyone else think that Ban is acting a little…strange?" asked Meliodas. He had uttered the question on everyone's mind.

"I don't see what you mean," said Gowther.

"Well normally, he really doesn't go out of his way to do for others. But ever since we found Sera, he has been unusually generous. He was the one who picked her up from the battlefield and carried her here. He laid her upstairs in his bed while he came down and made a meal for her. The rest of us too, but think about it: how often does he _actually_ cook?"

"I've noticed it too," said Elizabeth. "It's the first time since he encountered Elaine in the Necropolis that he hasn't had that permanently sad look in his eyes. He even looks kind of…happy."

"I saw it," said Merlin.

"His eyes look the same to me. The same shape, color, and size," said Gowther.

"This is an emotional assessment, Gowther," said Meliodas calmly. "Maybe this is good. Maybe Sera is what he needs to get over this obsession with King's dead sister."

"I sure hope she is it. It gets painful to see Sir Ban like that."

"We'll give them some time and see what happens. In the meantime, I suggest we save this conversation for another day. They could be back any minute. No one says anything about it to Ban," said Meliodas. "That's an order."

"Whatever you say, captain," said Merlin. She narrowed her eyes at Gowther. "That means you."

He stared at her emotionlessly. "I would never disobey a direct order from the captain."

With that, they all began silently eating rabbit once again.

It's like I was experiencing everything again. It was as if the entire bloody event was happening right before my eyes. I was just about to see my mother get murdered again when…

"Hey!" I felt a firm grip on either of my arms. "Snap out if it!" I was being shaken. I blinked a couple of times. I felt shaky and sick, but thankfully, I was back to reality. "Are you okay?" It was Ban. He sat on the edge of the cliff as well.

"I think so," I sniveled. I wiped my face in a desperate attempt to conceal my emotions from him.

"Hey," he said, smiling softly and grabbing my wrist. "You don't have to hide from me." He used his own giant, skinny hand brush to my tears away. He touched the side of my face and stroked it lovingly with his thumb. I couldn't help but do what I did best in his presence: blush. His smile got bigger as he could feel the tiny hairs on my cheek stand up.

"I'm sorry about what Gowther said. He means well, but he doesn't exactly have the same…sense of control that the rest of us do."

"I know. I'm not angry with him. Honestly, I just needed some time alone to clear my head."

"I know you've been through a lot in the past day or so. It must be difficult dealing with all this crap. And then you have Gowther embarrassing you in front of me, which doesn't make anything better," said Ban, nudging me playfully. "If what he said was true, it's okay. I don't blame you. I'm pretty sexy." He laughed.

I genuinely didn't know how to respond to him. I didn't know if these were advances, or if he was trying to cheer me up. Either way, I just loved having his company. I giggled.

I looked back at the sunset. To me, sunsets were one of nature's most glorious masterpieces. They symbolized the potential for new beginnings, even though to most people, that would be the sunrise. To me, when the sun was going down to give us night, I believed that was its way of giving us time to reflect on how we could improve ourselves and the world tomorrow. When the sun rose the next day, it was its way of giving us time to implement those improvements. I did my most profound thinking while gazing upon the impending nightfall. Ban could tell that I was deep in thought.

"Is something on your mind?"

"I was just thinking about everything that happened in Weylyn. What if everything that went down was the result of some higher purpose? What if it happened for a reason?"

"Doesn't everything?" he said. I supposed he was right. "I mean, if you believe in that destiny crap."

"Don't you?"

He waited a moment before answering. "I stopped believing in that stuff a long time ago," he said, as he looked down sadly. I immediately regretted asking. I didn't know what to say after that.

In that moment, I spotted something strange in the sky. It was a moderate sized green object flying toward the tavern. As it got closer, I tried to determine what it was. It looked fairly soft and not threatening. Wait, what the hell? Was I seeing…

"Is that…a pillow?" I asked, squinting. I probably sounded crazy.

At this, Ban snapped his head up and smiled as the object flew behind us.

"It sure is. King is home."


	6. Failure

_The Castle of Liones_

"Grand Master Romanoff! Sebastian has returned from Weylyn!" said the Holy Knight apprentice.

"Thank you, Abdul. You may resume your training," said Romanoff, waving his hand dismissively. He was nonchalantly staring out of the large castle window, glaring at the pit of Holy Knights beneath him engaging in combat. He wasn't sure what it was, but something was instinctually telling him that Sebastian's mission was not a triumphant one. He heard heavy footsteps echoing down the long corridor to his chamber, which stopped at what he guessed was the doorway.

"Sebastian, I see you've returned." He said distantly.

"Yes sir!"

"Do you return with good news?"

"Well sir, I don't know to be honest." he admitted sheepishly. Romanoff turned sharply until his body was facing Sebastian's. He noticed that Sebastian looked rather battered with a couple chinks in his armor, and a few lacerations on his face.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" hissed Romanoff, eyes narrowed. Sebastian's posture began to slump in his armor.

"I managed to gash the girl with my sword in her abdomen," Sebastian squeaked.

"But?"

"But whether she survived I'm unsure. I ran into a bit of…'trouble' before I could complete finish her off."

Romanoff's eyebrows furrowed. "What kind of 'trouble'"?

"I don't know how to say this sir."

"Say it anyways."

"The Seven Deadly Sins. They- "

"I see." Said Romanoff, interrupting in deep thought. He turned around so he was facing the window again. "They 'interfered' with your assignment."

"To put it mildly, sir," said Sebastian meekly.

In a very calm tone of voice, Romanoff spoke "Do you understand the repercussions of your inadequacy? Do you _know_ what this means?"

"Well sir- "

"SILENCE YOU INSIGNIFICANT WORM!" Roared Romanoff, still facing away from him. Although he couldn't see it, he could feel the blood draining out of Sebastian's face as he quivered in terror. "I sent you off to do one thing, and you couldn't even carry out a _simple_ assassination."

"Sir, I-" Romanoff whipped around to glare at him. Sebastian became silent.

"This girl could be the difference between a peaceful dictatorship and complete anarchy and overthrow of the kingdom. We don't need history to repeat itself, Sebastian. The severity of of your lack of success is grave." He slowly walked toward Sebastian until he was a few inches from his face. He whispered "Give me one good reason why I should let you leave this room alive."

With this, Sebastian dropped to his knees in desperation. "Please sir! I beg of you, have mercy! Give me one more chance to prove I am worthy of the title of Holy Knight!"

Romanoff scoffed at him. "What behavior is this from a Holy Knight? Cowering in fear like a child. Have you no dignity, no honor?"

"Sir, I apologize for my disgrace. Please, let me redeem myself." Romanoff scowled at Sebastian for about 15 seconds before answering. "Very well."

"Oh thank you, sir! I won't let you down again!"

"I know you won't." Romanoff bent down until his lips were rubbing against Sebastian's ear. "Because if you do, I will personally see to it that every one of your limbs are ripped from your body while you are kept alive to watch." Sebastian gulped. Romanoff stood up and resumed his original position near the window. "To your feet!" he commanded. He heard the clanking of metal as Sebastian unwillingly rose from the ground.

"Your new objective is to eliminate the girl before she realizes her true identity and what she is capable of. The more time she spends with _them_ , the worse it is for us. It will take us only a few days to find them, so until then, I suggest you spend your leisure time either training or resting."

"Yes sir!" shouted Sebastian obediently.

"Don't disappoint me again." He waved his hand as he had with Abdul. "You are dismissed." Sebastian, still quaking in his armor, exited the chamber quickly and with purpose.

When he could no longer hear the loud clattering sounds, he looked to his left where a large, majestic, jet-black raven had been perched for the duration of their discussion.

"Jezebel, my darling," cooed Romanoff. Jezebel immediately flew off of her perch and settled onto Romanoff's forearm. He opened the window which he had so intently stared out, and held his arm outside. "I want you to track them down." Jezebel crowed in comprehension. "Report back to me when you have located the Seven Deadly Sins."

She took off from Romanoff's arm and soared through the sky, setting out to follow her master's instructions.


End file.
